PowerTech Fuel Pump problem?

[iamflagman]

Originally Posted by iamflagman

I'm testing the generator using all 3 air conditioners as it is 75 degrees here today both with and without the CAT running as the fuel supply for my application comes from the fuel return line coming from the CAT and going to the fuel tank, when the engine isn't running it draws fuel from that same return line, just in the opposite direction that seems strange but it has worked this way since I have owned it.

After the post quoted above, I found out that the generator would run by itself OK by drawing fuel from the opposite direction through the return line when the fuel tank was full, but after running for about 6 hours it would start to die again, my theory is that I have a pin hole leak(s) in the return line directly inside of the fuel tank, as there are no outward signs of a leak and that is when it starts to suck air into the generators fuel line that can be seen in the glass pre-filter.

As an experiment I decided to run the CAT electric fuel pump without starting the engine at the same time as the generator is running, this would be similar to the way that it operates when the CAT engine is running as I'm driving down the road, when it allows fuel through it to supply the CAT and then the over flow is returned to the fuel tank and supplies a fuel source for the generator and by doing this I have not experienced another sign of air bubbles in the generators glass pre-filter.

But in order for me to operate the CAT electric fuel pump, I had to turn on the 'Birds ignition but not start the engine which I really wasn't too fond about doing, so I chose to add another TYCO relay to activate the CAT electric fuel pump through the Kubota / Powertech electric fuel pump, below is how I wired it into the system. I have run the generator with this setup for almost 20 hours straight and with less than 1/2 a tank of fuel.

I'm still going to keep the twin electric fuel pumps on the Kubota / Powertech to have one as a backup, it isn't hurting anything by using them this way.

http://www.pbase.com/image/143569371

I talked to Ryan Saari who also has a FC Rear Bath model like mine and he has experienced something similar with his generator dying and he has a different method for a cure, but I will let him tell us about that.

[gypsyb]

Ok...so we found the pump isn't pumping fuel to the gen...I don't have wiring prints for my gen! It's in an '83...

[isp2952]

Originally Posted by gypsyb

Ok...so we found the pump isn't pumping fuel to the gen...I don't have wiring prints for my gen! It's in an '83...

Ok, I think I said it in the other thread, but nobody knows what kind of gennie you have, unless you tell us. The usual gennie for the '83 still may not be right, in case the previous owner changed it out. So you need to say what motor you are looking at, Perkins, Yanmar, Kubota, etc. If not able to determine it take a picture of it and post it. We will be able to look at it and tell you what you need. You have to help us help you.

[Randy Dupree]

Originally Posted by gypsyb

Ok...so we found the pump isn't pumping fuel to the gen...I don't have wiring prints for my gen! It's in an '83...

Stop and read,thats all i'm going to say.
And,start a new thread,instead of tagging this on Johns thread.
Johns genny is nothing like yours.